Today, U.S. Representative Patrick E. Murphy (FL-18) voted against the Republican reconciliation bill, a partisan measure that would dismantle the Affordable Care Act and defund Planned Parenthood, taking away affordable health care coverage from millions of Americans and hurting the tens of thousands of Floridians who are served by Planned Parenthood's health centers in the state.

"It's a new year but we are seeing the same old partisan attacks on health care and women's reproductive rights, with a handful of Tea Party members trying to take us back to the days when insurance companies could discriminate against women, when there was no coverage for pre-existing conditions, and when the Medicare Part D donut hole left seniors without the prescriptions they need," said Murphy.  "It is disappointing that Congressional leadership is starting the year off by wasting time and taxpayer money to push an extremist ideology. We can – and must – do better in 2016 for the American people than continue the unproductive cycle of partisan battles that defined most of 2015."

According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the Republican reconciliation bill would take away health insurance from 22 million Americans after 2017. This would have a major impact on Florida, which leads the nation in new enrollments and plan renewals through healthcare.gov. Additionally, the bill would defund Planned Parenthood, impacting the health care access of millions of Americans who may have nowhere else to turn.  In Florida, Planned Parenthood’s 23 health centers serve over 70,000 people annually, providing 16,583 breast exams and 61,051 STI tests in 2013 alone.

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